Corn-planter.



K. K. CARR.

CORN PLANTEB..

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 1, 1910.

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K. K. GARR.

CORN PLANTER.

APPLIOATION FILED 1120.1, 1910.

PatentedvFeb. 11, 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGHAPH c0..wAsHlNuroN. D. C.

APPLICATION FILED DE01, 1910.

1,052,459. Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

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:minfin-1u l "m e MN I t W ZZ 50566K; @2421 if e KNOWLES K. CARR, OF ST'. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CORN-PLANTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

Application led December 1, 1910. Serial No. 595,142.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, KNowLns K. CARR,

a citizen of the United States, residing at4 St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a newv and useful Corn-Planter, of which the fol-` lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to corn planters, and one of the principal objects is to pro-1 vide a planter composed of la plurality of nected together in entrained relation so as to be conveniently moved over roads, high` ways, bridges, etc., while being moved fromi tact with the spokes 3, so that the wheel one place or field to another.

Another object is to equip the machine with improved planting mechanism including seed conveyers which are supported out of Contact with the ground, and are driven into the ground intermittently so as to con-3 vey into the soil and cover over the seed.;l This arrangement and operation makes the machine of lighter draft and permits the use of a greater number of planting units or sections than can be used in planting machines which employ runners and chan nels for conveying the seed grain into the ground.

iVhile I have mentioned a number of ob-` which will become obvious from the fol-l lowing description and the annexed drawings in which I have shown one embodi-.

; wheel 13 secured upon a shaft 14 which,

ment of the invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a planting ma-y chine embodying my invention, the dotted lines showing t-he end sections or units en'-;

trained to the middle sections for conveyance along highways, etc.

sect-ion. Fig. 4 vis a detail view of a pawl which locks a lever in position. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the coupling devices` by which the planter sections or units are held together in their side by side adjust` ment.

The machine is supported by wheels 1 each of which consists of two rings arranged f as shown, and connected with a hub 2 by spokes 3. The rings are of vthin metal andl are spaced apart so that the felly of each wheel is really composed of two-rings. The periphery of each of said rings is beveled oroblique, and they are inclined inwardly so that the soil will be compressed to cover the seed deposited within the soil in front of the wheels. The wheels are mounted on axles 4l each of which is composed of two parts, the said parts of each axle being hinged together as shown at 5, Fig. 3. Each of the axles supports a frame 6 in one side of which is a slot 6a in which the movable end or part of the axle extends. The opposite end of each axle is mounted in the side of the frame and is encircled by a sleeve 7. The sleeve has a friction disk 8 in contions, and each unit is supported on a wheel,

so that the description of one section or unit applies to all alike except as otherwise explained.

In Fig. 3 one of these units or sections is illustrated. A sprocket chain 12 communicates motion from the wheel 9 to a similar in the present instance, extends across in front of three sections or planter units. The wheels 9 and 13 are oppositely arranged, so that by moving the sprocket chain from one row or series of teeth on said wheels to other rows or series of teeth thereon, the speed of rotation of the shaft 14 will be varied, and this may be effected in any desired limits. The purpose of this arrangement is to enable the user of the machine to plant the grain in any desired relation, whether close together, or in places far apart as in checking. By adjust-ing the chain on the large periphery of the wheel 9 and on the small periphery of the wheel 13 the shaft 111 will be rotated rapidly, and vice versa. The shaft 14 controls the grain delivery or planting devices, so thatggrain will be planted in conformity with the rotation of the shaft 14. The shaft 14 is journaled in the front ends of the frames 6. 1n order to cause the wheel 9 to be driven by the supporting wheel it is necessary to compress the spring 10 so as to hold the disk 8 against Ithe spokes of the wheel. Lever devices are used for this purpose. The bell-crank lever 15 (Figs. 1 and engages in a groo-ve in the collar 11. with a lever 17, 4the opposite arm .of said lever 17 in each planting unit or section be-` ing connected to a sliding rod 18 lateral its two adjustments so as to hold the spring 10 under compression or free. This lever 19 is inthe same planting unit or section occupied by the driver or user of the ma-` A seat 21 is arranged in this sec-f tion (Fig. 1) for the useand support of thel driver, and `the lever 19 is mounted in posi- "tion for convenient manipulation by the foot=I V of the driver. i The hopper or grain box A in each sectio-n is pivotally supported on two arms 22: which engage with pins 23 on the hopper or These pins constitute pivots so thatthe hopper or box may be supported verti-I cally as sho-wn in Fig. 2, or may be tilted; The delivery devices; in theV box whereby the grain is released into'; the passage which carries it into the ground Vare of usual or well known construction and arrangement and are operated step byl step, The lower, delivery plate which, "as usual, rotates step by step has an annular seriesn of teeth 24. These teeth are engaged; vsuccessively by the oblique or inclined teeth ofva wheel 25 on the shaft 14, so that wheni saidshaft 14 is driven, the planting mecha-Q As stated above,@ however, the hoppers or boxes maybe moved? 'to inclined or oblique adjustment which will.;

chine.

box.

to oblique position.

as usual.

nism will tbe operated.

disengage the teeth 24 from the wheels 25,

the operator is ,enabled to throw out of use 'any desired numberof planting sections without renderingfall'of them idle.`

-egress of the grain.

A link 16 connects the leverl,

f may be supported and retained as long as i operation. l The; grain is deliveredfrom the hopper orj box into a Aiexible tuI-beor passage 26. Each tube or passage 26 leadsftoY a hoe vor furrowl `opener 27 whichfis slidably carried on an arcuate portion ofa spring-frame or drag fbar 28'snpp'orted on the shaft'14. [The tube rv'is connectedto'thhoeby aspr-ing 26a which constitutes a yielding or elastic connection enabling the parts automatically to adjust themselves to different requirements.

The hoe' is in the form of a pointed box or tube, with the small end down, and having an opening at the lower end for the A valve 27a closes the opening and holds the grain till the proper time for discharging arrives. Two arms 271. are pivoted to the valve and carry an arcuate foot piece 27C which strikes the ground and opens the valve each time the hoe is driven into the ground. The ends of the piece 27 extend beyond the track made by the wheels which follow, and make depressions or im- 8@ prints which indicate the exact location of the various hills or deposits of grain. The tendency of the frame 28 is to actuate or drive the hoe 27 into the ground. A rod 29 joins the two arms of the spring-frame 28 and supports an arm 30 which has a hook 31 on its upper end. Said hook 31 is arranged to engage overa lateral extension 32 on the rear end of a lever 33 which is pivoted to a non-rotatable sleeve on the'shaft 14. The frontend of the lever 33 rests on a rod 34 and may be latched to the rod by a latching hook 35 (Fig. 4) adapt-ed to engage in a hole in the lever, but the hoe 27 desired above the ground in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 by engaging the hook 31 over the end of the lever 33. Should the hook 31 be disengaged from engagement with the lever 33 the tension of the spring-frame 28 will drive the hoe into the ground, and this operation is edected intermittently so as to make the delivering strokes and plant the grain at proper distances apart. The operation of the planting hoe is controlled by the shaft 14 and the wheel 25. Thev hoe is raised after each stroke by the wheel 25 engaging a hook 36 on the arm 30 andlifting said hook and the frame 28 until the hook 31 is abo-ve the ex- 110 tension 32 of the lever 33 at which time the i arm 30 ispushed away from the wheel 25 by the shoulder 37 yon said arm. The hook 31 then catches on' theF extension of the lever 33. The lever 33 is suitably controlled and 115 operated so as to release the hook31'and permit the frame 28 to operate. A clutch member 38 (Fig. 3) is loose on the shaft 14,

the other clutch member 39 being splined on the shaft and slidable thereon. A lever 40 120 is pivoted to the frame 6 near the foot rest 41 so as to be in a convenient position for Said lever has a pin 42 in a groove in a part of the clutch member 39 so that said clutch member may be moved into 125 or out cf engagement with the member 38. The lever 40A extends alongside of a pin 43 on the rod 34. The clutch member 38 has a series of holes 44 adapted to receive the ends of rods 45. The rods 45 carry plates 4.6.-on 13o,

of the operation of the hoe will, of course,

depend upon the number of the rods 45 'which are attached to the clutch member 38,

and there may be any number desired. The rod 34 is actuated in one direction by a vspring 48 and is thereby automatically restored to idle position after each movement by the clutch devices.

From the foregoing it is plain that the speed of operation of the planting devices in the boxes or hoppers A may be varied to conform to varying requirements by adjusting the chain 12 in proper position on the conical sprocket wheels 9 and 13. The wheels 25 which are driven with the sh aft 14 operate the planting mechanism of the ho-ppers in conformity with the rotation of the said shaft 14. It is also plain that the speed of operation of the planting hoe 27 may be varied to conform to the varying demands independent-ly of any adjustment of the chain 12, this being accomplished by use of a larger or less number of the rods 45 on the clutch member. The chain 12 may be conveniently moved to its different adjustments on the sprocket wheels. An idle wheel 48 rides on each chain, said wheels being carried by pairs of arms 49 between which thev chains operate, said arms being carried on a laterally movable rod 50. A lever 51 is pivoted to a support 52 and to the rod 50 and may be manipulated to move said rod laterally which will result in flexing all of the chains 12 and cause them to assume dierent positions on the sprocket wheels 12 and 13. A latching segment 53 will hold the lever 51 in any desired adjustment. The rod 50 extends across all of the planting units or sections and is operable by' a single lever to move all of the chains 12 at one operation.`

The pivoted parts of the axles 4, on which the supporting wheels are mounted may be moved to change the adjustment of the wheels so as to change the direction of travel of the planter. This change of direction of travel may be eected without changing the parallel relation of transverse rows in which the grain is planted in checking that is to say the grain planted while the machine moves in a direction which is oblique to its first direction of travel will be in transverse rows which are parallel to the transverse rows first planted. Each of the pivotedv axle parts 4 is connected to a bell-crank lever 54 by a link 55, and said levers 54 are also pivoted to alaterally movable rod 56. Movement of the rod 56 in either lateral direction will move the pivoted axle parts 4 (Fig. 1). A lever 57 is pivoted to the support 52 and to the rod 56 and is operable to move said rod laterally. The hoes 27 are slidably mounted on arcuate portions of the frames 28, between the rings forming the Wheels, so that when the wheels are swung laterally the hoes will also be moved and kept in position between the wheel rings (Fig. The flexible tubes or passages 26 readily accommodate themselves to these adjustments, and the planting hoes may be moved to various operative positions with respect to the hoppers or boxes A' from which they receive the seed grain.

As previously stated, a number of the planting units or sections may be detached from their operative connection, and may be entrained with the others for movement over roads, streets,bridges, etc. 1n the embodiment shown, in which there are five planting units or sections, one at each end is removable. Coupling devices are employed to connect the parts of the operating rods and shafts in these sections with the other parts of said rods and shafts in the central sections. One of these coupling devices is illustrated in Fig. 5, and comprises a sleeve 58 pinned to the end of each abutting rod or shaft and adapted to receive the end of the corresponding part of said rod or shaft. A latch part 59 on the said corresponding part of each rod or shaft engages in a hole in said sleeve and thereby couples the outer and inner sections of the various rods and shaftstogether so that the planting mechanism in all sections will be operated. The shaft 14, rod 18, rod 50 and rod 56, are each equipped with a coupling device, and are so coupled together. When the end sections are uncoupled from their operative positions they may be coupled together by their coupling devices, and entrained with the other sections by suitable connections 60 (Fig. 1) thereby putting the machine in condition and form for movement over highways, etc. Any suitable tongues, shafts, or other draft appliances maybe used, and they may be connected to the machine in any suitable manner, such arrangement being within the skill of any person well informed in the use of agricultural appliances.

68 indicates a counter-balance weight one of which is pivotally supported on each of the arms 30. A pin or lug 69 on each of said arms 30 supports the counter-balance4 weight in either of two adjustments, as indicated in Fig. 2. Then the weight 68 is in its forward adjustment as shown in solid lines in Fig. 2 it will actuate the arm 30 toward the wheel 25, so that the hook 36 on said arm 30 will be engaged by said wheel 25v in the manner and with result above described. This adjustment is maintained when the machine is to be used for checking purposes. By adjusting the weight 68 in its other position (shown in dot-ted lines in Fig. 2) it will actuate the arm 30 away from -the wheel 25 so that the hook 36 will not be engaged by said wheel. This will permit the spring-frame 28 to remain permanently down. The seed will pass through the tube 26 in the usual way and be deposited in the gro-und as by the usual drill 7 planters.

It will be understood, of course, vthat the springs l0 are released from compression so as to release the sprocket wheels 9 at each turning of the machine which permits the wheels 25 to remain stationary and support the spring-frames 28 when the machine is turning.

In using the machine for checking the rows only two of the arms 45 are employed and to actuate these arms to their normal position automatically when the clutch members 3S and 39 are thrown apart at each turning place, I provide a weight (Fig. 2) in connection with the clutch member 38 carrying said arm. Since said clutch member 38 is loose on the shaft 14 the said weight 70 will, immediately upon breaking the clutch actuate the said loose clutch member 38 and hold the arms 45 in horizontal position. In starting on the' return trip after turning the operator will operate the lever 40 effectively to move the rod 34 so as to actuate the levers 33 and release the spring-frame 28 at the proper time to plant in alinement with the first transverse row. The operator neXt engages the clutch member 39 with the member 3S and the machine thereafter operates automatically to perform its checking function. It will be observed that any one or more of the planting units or sections may be disabled and rendered inactive and inoperative by releasing the latch pawl 35 from the lever 33 while said lever 38 remains engaged with the hook 36 thereby supporting the planting hoe.

I am aware that there may be many variations from the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described without departure at all from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. It will be apparent that the self-contained check; ing mechanism constitutes an important part of the invention, and the embodiment illustrated and described will, as usual, suggest many alternative arrangements, which, I believe, it is unnecessary to illustrate and describe since I consider them embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

That I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a planter, a series of planting hoes, means for supporting said hoes, means for releasing said hoes, springs arranged to drive said hoes into the ground when said hoes are released, hoppers, flexible passages from said hoppers to said hoes, wheels arranged to pass over the planted seed effectively to compress the soil thereon, and means for setting said wheels to travel in different directions relative to the other parts of the planter, substantially as speciled.

2. In a planter, an arcuate spring-impelled drag bar, a planting yhoe slidably mounted on said drag bar, a hopper, a flexible passage from said hopper to said hoe, means for raising and holding said hoe, means for releasing said hoe, a wheel arranged to pass over the seed planted by said hoe effectively to compress the soil thereon, and means for adjusting said wheel at different angles effectively to position said hoe in different positions on said drag bar, substantially as specified.

3. In a planter, a planting hoe, a springimpelled drag bar supporting and operating said hoe, a wheel operable to raise said hoe from the ground after each operation, means for upholding said hoe, a device for releasing said hoe, a hopper, a flexible passa e from said hopper to said hoe, and a w eel arranged to compress the soil on the seed planted by said hoe, substantially as' specified. y

4. In a planter, a series of planting hoes, a spring-impelled drag bar supporting and operating each hoe to plant seed in t-he ground, a wheel operable to raise each hoe after each planting operation by said drag bars, levers arranged to support said hoes when they are raised by said wheels, means for operating 'said levers to release said hoes, hoppers, passages fro-m said hoppers to said hoes, and wheels supporting all of said parts mentioned and arranged to pass over the planted seed to compress the soil thereon, substantially as specified.

5. In a planter, a number of spring-impelled drag bars, a planting hoe actuated by each drag bar to plant seed, a hopper arranged to deliver seed to each hoe, a wheel arranged to raise each of said hoes after each planting operation, a device arranged to support each hoe after being raised by said wheel, a rod for operating said devices, and means for operating said rod, substantially as speciied.

6. In a planter, the 'combination with spring-impelled drag bars, a planting hoe on each drag bar, means for supplying seed to said hoes, and means for causing said drag bars to operate intermittently to plant seed at each operation, of wheels arranged to pass over the planted seed to compre-ss the soil thereon, and means for changing said wheels to different angles to position said hoes in different positions on said drag bars, substantially as specified.

7. In a planter, planting hoes, a shaft, mechanism controlled by said shaft to drive said hoes intermittently into the ground in planting operations, supporting wheels arranged to pass over and to compress the soil on the planted seed, driving mechanism for said shaft, and means for operating said drivingfmechanism from said wheels, substantially as specified.

8. In a planter, planting hoes, a shaft, mechanism controlled by said shaft to drive said hoes intermittently into the ground in planting operations, supporting wheels arranged to pass over and to compress the soil on the planted seed, driving mechanism for said shaft, means for operating said driving mechanism from said wheels, and means for varying the speed of said hoes, substantially as specified.

9. A planter comprising a plurality of planting units, wheels supportin` said units, seed-planting mechanism in each unit, separable couplings adjustable to hold all of said units in alined adjustment side by side or to permit detachment of certain of said units as desired, driving mechanism in said units for said planting mechanism, and means for operating said driving mechanism from said wheels, substantially as specified.

10. In a planter, the combination with a planting sect-ion arranged to support the operator or driver of the planter, seed-planting mechanism in said section, another planting section, seed planting mechanism in said second-named sect-ion, and wheels supporting said sections, of driving mechanism in eac-h section for the seed-planting mechanism therein, means for operatively connecting the driving mechanism in one section with the driving mechanism in the other section, and independently releasable connections from said wheels to said driving mechanisms, respectively, for operating said seed planting mechanism in both of said sections, substantially as specified.

11. In a planter, the combination with a plurality of main planting sections arranged to support the operator or driver of the planter, seed-planting mechanism in each of said main sections, and a shaft for driving said planting mechanism, of an auxiliary section, seed-planting mechanism in said auxiliary section, releasable coupling devices whereby said auxiliary planting section may be connected at one side of said main planting sections, wheels for supporting said sections, mechanism driven by said wheels for operating said shaft, and means for driving the seed planting mechanism in said auxiliary section from said shaft, substantially as specied.

12. In a planter, seed-planting mechanism, wheels arranged to pass over and compress the soil on the planted seed, a shaft for operating said seed-planting mechanism, driving mechanism for said shaft, means for operating said drivingmechanism from said wheels, a clutch controlling said operating means, means for operating said clutch to cause said wheels to operate said driving mechanism or not as desired, a hopper, and means for causing said hopper to discharge seed to said seed-planting mechanism or not, as desired, when said seed-planting mechanism is in operation, substantially as specified.

13. A machine for planting selected numbers of rows simultaneously, comprising a series of permanently connected planting units arranged to plant a number of parallel rows, seed-planting mechanism in each of said sections, and wheels supporting said units, in combination with other planting units, wheels supporting said second-named units, separable couplings adjustable to hold said second-named units side by side with said first-named units to plant rowsl parallel with the rows planted by said first-named units, seed-planting mechanism in each of said second-named units, a shaft for operating the seed-planting mechanism in all of said unit-s, driving mechanism for said shaft, and means for operating said driving mechanism from said first-named wheels, substantially as specified.

' 14. In a planter, a plurality of separate planting units or sections, separable couplings adjustable to hold said units or sections in operative adjustment side by side, planting mechanism in each unit or section, wheels supporting said sections, operating mechanism for said planting mechanism, a shaft controlling said operating mechanism, driving mechanism for said shaft, means for operating said driving mechanism from said wheels, and means for varying the speed of operation of said planting mechanism, substantially as specified.

15. In a planter, an axle, a wheel on said axle, a shaft, means whereby said axle and wheel will rotate said shaft when the planter is in motion, a lever manipulative effectively to render said means operative or inoperative as desired, planting hoes supported independently of said wheel and controlled by said shaft, means for driving said planting hoes into the ground in intermittent operations, means for delivering seed to said hoes,

and means for preventing operation of selected ones of said hoes, substantially as specified.

16. In a planter, an axle, a wheel on said axle, a shaft, connections whereby said axle and wheel will rotate said shaft when the.

planter is in motion, a lever manipulativev effectively to render said connections operative or inoperative as desired, planting hoes supported independently of said wheel and controlled by said shaft, means for driving said planting hoes into the ground in intermittent operations, seed containers, means for causing said seed containers to deliver seed to said hoes or not as desired, and means for preventing operation of any selected ones of said hoes, substantially as specied.

k17. In a planter, an axle, a wheel on said axle, a shaft, connections whereby said axle and Wheel will rotate said shaft When the planter is in motion, means whereby said connections may be caused to vary the speed of rotation of said shaft, a lever manipulative effectively to render said connections operative or inoperative as desired, planting hoes supported independently of said wheel and controlled by said shaft, means for driving said planting hoes into the ground in intermittent operations, seed containers, means for causing said seed containers to deliver seed to said hoes or not as desired, and means for preventing operation of any select-ed ones of said hoes, substantially as specified. Y

18. In a planter, an axle, a wheel on said axle, a shaft, connections whereby said axle and wheel will rotatesaid shaft when the planter is in motion, means for varying the speed of rotation of said shaft while the planter is moving at uniform speed, a lever operable to render said connections operative or inoperative as desired, planting hoes supported independently of said shaft, means for driving said hoes into the ground in intermittent operations, means for preventing operation of any selected ones of said hoes, and means for delivering seed to said hoes, substantially as specified.

19. In a planter, the combination with a planting section arranged to support the operator or driver of the planter, a planting hoe in said section, another planting section, a planting hoe in said second-named section, and wheels supporting said sections, of driving mechanism in each section for the planting hoe therein, means for operatively connecting the driving mechanism in one section with the driving mechanism in the other section, and independently releasable .connections from the wheels for operating said driving mechanism, respectively, substantially as specified.

In witness whereof I have signed this specificationl in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KNOWLES K. CARR.

Witnesses:

FRANKLIN MILLER, J. D. RIPPEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

